Liszt's Sonata in B minor and Transcendence

Abstract

The search for hidden philosophical meanings in Liszt’s Sonata in B minor is an open area of research worldwide. In this paper, we use commuting diagrams to uncover new connections between the Sonata and Goethe’s Faust. In the Sonata, we also find parallels with Njegoš’s The Ray of the Microcosm and Dis’s Dungeon, which indicate the anthroposophic elements in the Sonata. Finally, we highlight the significance and symbolism of the number 3 in the Sonata.